1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for washing vehicles, said method comprising washing a vehicle with an apparatus comprising a frame, said frame and the vehicle to be washed moving in relation to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, whereby the vehicle is washed with a high pressure water jet, waxed, and dried.
The invention further relates to an apparatus for washing vehicles, said apparatus comprising a frame, said frame and the vehicle to be washed being arranged to move in relation to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and spray nozzles arranged to spray high-pressure water for cleaning the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A brushless vehicle washing apparatus, i.e. a washing apparatus in which a vehicle is washed by water jets directed to it, typically operates as described in the following paragraph.
The first step comprises preliminary washing, in which a detergent is sprayed to the surface of the vehicle. The following step comprises high-pressure washing, in which high-pressure water jets are directed to the vehicle for cleaning it and for rinsing off the detergent. Subsequently the vehicle is rinsed with low-pressure water, to which wax can be added, and finally the vehicle is dried. Such a method and apparatus are disclosed, for example, in Fl 924 420. The washing may also comprise other steps according to the need. It is possible to add wax, for example, in several steps, depending on whether hot wax and/or rinsing aid is used. In all these cases the problem is, however, that the wax easily remains on the surface of the water which exists on the vehicle. The wax does not relieve the surface tension of the water and thus does not make sufficiently close contact with the surface of the vehicle, which diminishes the efficiency of the wax. Separate steps for applying wax complicate the washing programme and make the washing operation rather long.